Revved-up iPhone debuts Friday

The Apple iPhone 3G promises faster Internet connections.

David Bauerlein

The Apple iPhone's new version is creating less buzz than its inaugural splash last year, but the promise of faster Internet connections is giving consumers a fresh choice if they've been waiting on the sidelines or already own an iPhone and want to rev up their service.

AT&T and Apple retail stores will open early Friday for buyers who want to be at the front of the pack in purchasing the iPhone 3G. The handheld devices combining a phone, computer and iPod for music will hit the shelves at 8 a.m. at AT&T stores. The Apple store at St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville will also sell the iPhone.

The name stems from the iPhone's ability to connect with the 3G network, delivering download speeds twice as fast as existing iPhones. But that surge in speed depends on the iPhone being in one of the 280 metropolitan areas served by AT&T's 3G network, so buying the phone won't automatically result in faster Internet surfing and e-mail connections.

Region's coverage areas

In Northeast Florida, the Jacksonville metropolitan area for 3G stretches west to Baldwin, north as far as Yulee in Nassau County, and south to the northern part of St. Johns County. However, St. Augustine doesn't have 3G coverage. Gainesville does.

The new iPhone will work in areas lacking 3G service, but the connection will be to the network that serves the existing iPhone model with slower download speeds.

The new iPhone will cost $199 for the 8-gigabyte model and $299 for the 16-gigabyte version with a two-year service contract with AT&T. The service plan cost ranges from $69.99 to $129.99 a month depending on the amount of minutes. Text messaging plans cost an additional $5 to $20 per month.

In addition to the phone and Internet, the iPhone features an iPod for playing music.

Ready to buy

Jacksonville resident Len Kaufman said he's been waiting for Apple to work out any bugs in the iPhone and he's ready now to buy one.

"I'm convinced now that this is the way to go because it's going to save me from having to carry around my iPod," he said. "I'm going to have it all in one piece."

But Jonathan Phillips, owner of St. Augustine PC in St. Johns County, said he's no fan of the iPhone he owns, mainly because the phone service isn't reliable. He said he's been in areas where he could get service with another AT&T phone, but the iPhone was useless.

"It's not a difference between one bar or two bars," he said. "It's a difference between service and no service."

More power - but so soon

Jack Jones, owner of Jack's Recycling and Salvage Co. in Jacksonville, said he'll be in line Friday to buy the new iPhone with mixed emotions - he likes the idea of more power, but he just bought an iPhone a few months ago.

Apple customers who bought a 2.5G iPhone on or after May 27 will be able to swap that phone for the new model, minus a 10 percent restocking fee, according to AT&T.

Jones said he's pulling his receipts to find out when he bought his iPhone, but thinks it was before that cutoff date for the trade-in. He's resigned himself to paying the full price for the new iPhone. But he also is exploring Internet sites that buy cell phones, including the iPhone.

Those sites include www.buymytronics.com and www.cellforcash.com. At cellforcash.com on Wednesday, iPhone owners could sell a 4-gigabyte phone for $122 and an 8-gigabyte for $135.

The online sites generate their business from people seeking some financial benefit from discarded phones that have been replaced by the newest models.

"They've all been stockpiled, just sitting in people's drawers, closets, whatever," said Andrew Hinkle, program manager for cellforcash.com, which is part of RMS Communications in Ocala.

He said the resale price for the iPhones will drop after the new versions come out Friday because more people will be seeking cash for their older phones.